Mya Hollingshed

Mya Hollingshed's Biography

Mya Hollingshed, an accomplished professional basketball player from Puerto Rico, sports quite an impressive recipe of dedication, talent, and sportsmanship. She etched her name in the pageantry of professional basketball as the 8th overall pick in the Las Vegas Aces in the 2022 Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) draft. Despite being waived by the team mere weeks after being enlisted, her career trajectory tells an inspiring narrative of extraordinary feats, both on and off the court.

Born in Houston, Texas, Mya’s knack for sports did not spring from a vacuum. Her grandfather, Terry Sykes, a well-celebrated professional basketball player, was selected in the 1978 NBA draft by the Washington Bullets. His contribution to the sport undoubtedly influenced Hollingshed’s involvement in basketball.

Fuelled by her passion for the sport, Mya kicked off her high school basketball career at Bellaire High School to resounding success. She exhibited stellar performance throughout her four-year stint as a letterwinner- testament to her quick grasp of the game’s foundations. Along this journey, she earned all-state honors and ascended the rank as the team captain, exemplifying leadership qualities on and off the pitch.

In a testament to her early-acquired basketball finesse, she was nominated for the McDonald’s All-American team and was involved in the Texas Elite Phenoms Amateur Athletic Union (AAU). Both nominations portrayed her as an exceptional cager whose star shone from her formative days.

Besides her notable involvement in high school and AAU, Mya Hollingshed also got to represent eminent sports brands Adidas and Under Armor as an All-American. Appearing in these prominent sports brands’ All-American rosters displayed her strong professional potential to a broader audience.

Upon the conclusion of her high-school career, Mya took her burgeoning talent to the University of Colorado where she played college basketball. As a freshman, she participated in 29 games as a reserve player, averaging 6.8 points and 3.9 rebounds. Displaying an intriguing accuracy, she led her team with a 42.7% 3-point shooting accuracy and a solid 45.5% from the floor.

Building on her freshman success, Hollingshed broke through her sophomore year by elevating her performance and played an unprecedented role in each game. She managed to reach career-high numbers in points per game and minutes, while concurrently leading the team with a .439 field goal percentage. Her sophomore year also recorded her first-ever double-double.

As she metamorphosed into her junior year, Mya delivered splendidly by posting career-high points, rebounds, and assists totals. Quite impressively, she also recorded three double-doubles and positioned herself as the team’s indomitable force in scoring and rebounding. She also emerged as a key player defensively by tying for the team lead in steals. Her exceptional stats were not left unnoticed as she was granted an honorable mention on the preseason All-PAC 12 team.

Hollingshed’s evolution did not plateau in her senior year. Adding to her impressive record, she was admitted to the esteemed 1,000 point club, notched scoring in double figures over 20 out of 23 games, and led Colorado to an NCAA Tournament berth- the university’s first in several years. These accomplishments saw her receiving an All-America honorable mention and being selected to the All-PAC 12 First Team.

After college, Mya moved up the performance hierarchy by becoming the sixth player ever from the University of Colorado to be drafted into the WNBA when the Las Vegas Aces picked her 8th overall in the 2022 draft, despite the team waiving her a few weeks later.

Merging her vast talents and cultural heritage, Hollingshed found herself representing Puerto Rico in international platforms. Most promimently, she played a pivotal role in the 2022 FIBA World Cup, where she led Puerto Rico to its historically first quarterfinals.

Despite a brief stint in the professional league, Hollingshed’s compelling story maps out a promising cager drawn to her family’s sports genes. Whether she stays a free agent or joins a new team in the future, her mark on the court remains firm and inspiring.